Wisconsin Salmon Trip

[rangerman]

Attached are a few pics from my annual trip to Sturgeon Bay. Last couple of years have been great. But this year we pegged some good quality fish. Casting and retrieving 800 series reef runners accounted for all the fish. Great trip and I would highly recommend it to anyone. If you go once it would not be your last trip...I promise you. No specialized tackle. I use my 7 foot medium action bottom bouncer rods with 15/4 stealth. These fish hit and run. average fight time is usually about 20 minutes. My 5 Year old caught a REALl nice smallie slipbobbering for perch which he was tickled with.

[rangerman]

These fish were all around the 25 pound mark. I lost a giant male which we tried netting a couple of times. Fought it for about 25-30 minutes. Figured it to be at the 30 pound mark. Started rolling at the boat and rolled the line around its beak which ultimately finely caused to break off.

[Quillback]

Some nice kings you have there! I've though about doing a trip up there one of these days. Did you catch any trolling or was it all cast and retrieve?

[rangerman]

I tried trolling a bit, but could not stick to it. There were a couple of guys that caught a few trolling but nothing in comparison to what we were doing casting. We caught a total of around 20 fish and kept some for eating. It is definitely worth the trip. The run in the sturgeon bay starts about the 3rd week of August and ends around the middle of October. The fresh fish coming in from the lake are by far the most aggressive. Early mornings and evenings into the night are the best time to hook up. Kind of convenient as it leaves the rest of the day to do what you want.

[Quillback]

Is it suitable for a bass boat? Is there decent smallie fishing during the day? Thanks for your answers, hopefully I'm not bugging you asking these questions.

[rangerman]

Absolutely not, be more than happy to answer your questions!

Bass boat suitable...absolutely. Seen guys out in 14 foot boats. From Sawyer park in Sturgeon bay to the entrance to the shipping canal is no wake only. I am usually running at a high idle at 7 or so MPH and it doesn't take that long to get to the salmon bite location. Sturgeon bay and canal is fairly sheltered so you wouldn't have a problem what so ever.

The smallmouth fishing throughout the canal is good this time of year. You can stand on the rock jetties and look down to see 3 and 4 pound smallies swimming around. Howies tackle in Sturgeon bay is the hook up for info and any tackle you may need.

It takes me right at 9 hours to get there from 30 miles west of St. Louis and it is a simple drive. I44 to I55 to I39 to I43 all the way to Sturgeon Bay. Fish the salmon in the morning and the evenings and fish the smallies during the day. Or be gluttonous and eat all day at one of the many good restarants in the area before you go back out fishing. I may drive back up for a couple day in a week or so. If you want a vicious strike and run like no other, and jumps 5 foot out of the water, the kings are the ticket.

[Nharris]

Sturgeon Bay has some incredible fishing. I'm heading there in January for ice walleyes. Very nice salmon. Looks like older fish from the lack of silver in the scales. Are they God eating at that age and size.

[rangerman]

Yes, they are very good. I generally smoke a few and use the rest for making salmon patties. Once you get later in the season the condition of the fish definitely go down hill. Try to hit it early in the run for the better eating ones. I have always done best around the end of the 1st into the 2nd week of September. Try to avoid the zombie fish.

2nd week of January I may make a trip up ice fishing as well. Sturgeon bay is currently and officially ice covered. ;-)

[watermen]

Nephews been hammering the Whitefish through the ice. They are worth the effort. Haven't had any since Canada, There is some good eats. Would like to smoke them myself. Better eating than the bay walleye's in my opinion. Perch are gone but the whitefish are back. Times change.